Greek cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Elies Tsakistes (Cracked Olives)

Cracked green olives cured in garlic, lemon and coriander seed and covered with olive oil.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 500 g green olives
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 150 ml olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 strip organic orange zest
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt

Instructions

1. Crack the green olives one by one with the flat side of a heavy knife or a wooden pestle, until the skin splits and the pit shows, but without removing it.
2. Place the cracked olives in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 24 hours, changing the water three times – this removes the bitterness.
3. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan for 1–2 min. without fat until fragrant, then crush coarsely in a mortar.
4. Cut the garlic into thin slices, squeeze the lemons and cut the orange zest into fine strips.
5. Layer the drained olives with garlic, coriander seeds, orange zest, oregano, sea salt and lemon juice in a clean jar and cover completely with the olive oil.
6. Let the sealed jar cure in a cool place for 3 days and serve the olives with a little of the curing oil on a shallow dish alongside ouzo.